Valved fountain sponge udder washer



United States Patent 2,759,210 VALVED FOUNTAIN SPONGE UDDER WASHER Nat Cordis, Silver Lake, Wis. Application June 3, 1950, Serial No. 166,029 11 Claims. (Cl. 15-130) This invention relates to fountain washers and more particularly to an improved dairymans sponge of handfitting shape adapted for use in cleansing a cows udder and teats preliminary to milking.

A primary object of the invention is to provide a fountain washer wherein the flow of fluid is controlled by the manipulation of the washer in one hand. A further object of the invention is to provide a fountain sponge with means for inducing the flow into the sponge when a portion of the sponge is compressed. It is also an object of my invention to provide an apparatus which can be filled with or freed of liquid by compressing portions of the device. Another object is to provide a dairymans sponge which is so constructed as to prevent flow of fluid therefrom except at the working face of the sponge. Still another object of the invention is to provide a fountain sponge washer which is of unitary molded rubber construction.

An additional object is to provide a fountain sponge which is of novel hand-fitting shape permitting the easy grasp in a hand for manipulating the sponge and for .controlling the flow of fluid into and from the pad. .A further object is to provide a novel fountain washer which is characterized by its uniform resiliency and pliability. These and other objects will become apparent as the description of my invention proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure 1 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of the washer employing a sponge pad;

Figure 2 is a top view partly in section showing the details of the valve structure and the operating means;

Figure 3 is a side view of the washer assembly;

Figure 4 is an end view illustrating the valve in closed position;

Figure 5 is a view similar to Figure 4 but showing the valve in the open position; and

Figure 6 is a fragmentary side view in section illustrating another modification of my device.

Briefly my invention comprises a generally triangular handfitting sponge pad having a working surface and a non-working surface enclosed by a flexible fluid impervious sheath. Means for supplying and controlling a stream of fluid to the pad includes a conduit discharging below the sheath and a deformable baffle means in the conduit such baffle having a self-closing opening or slit which is controlled by distorting the baffle. Lever arms extend obliquely from the region of the baffle along the merging edges of the pad. When these lever arms .and the portion of the pad therebetween are compressed the walls of the conduit adjacent the perimeter of the baflle are distended and the slit in the bafile is opened. Release of the arms closes the valve slit. In a preferred embodiment the portion of the bafiie provided with the slit extends up-stream from the point of attachments of the baffle to the conduit inner wall. As a result, the pressure of the fluid in the conduit behind the baffle gate or valve does not have a tendency to open the slit. Down-stream of the baffle there is a fulcrum point for the lever arms,

which point may be the walls of the conduit which collapse somewhat when the arms are compressed but Without unduly restricting flow.

Although my flow control assembly including the fiexible conduit, deformable baflle, slit in the battle, and oblique lever arms for distorting the baflle can be used for other purposes with the fluid-impervious sheath, details of the construction and operation of the flow control assembly will be described in connection with a dairymans fountain sponge or washer including a triangular sponge pad.

Referring to the drawings, the fountain udder washer comprises a fluid pervious thin flat pad 10 having a working surface 11, a non-working surface 12, and a protective cover or sheath 13. The pad 10 may be of rubber or cellulose sponge, or the like, and the sheath 13 is preferably made of an elastic fluid-impervious sheet material such as glove rubber. The hand-fitting pad 10 is of generally triangular or paddle shape with a base edge 14, the two edges 15 and 16, and an apex 17. The fluid control means, designated generally in the drawing by reference number 18, is shown as being molded integral with the sheath 13 and may also be made of rubber. The fluid flow control means 18 comprises a flexible conduit 19 entering the pad 10 at the apex 17 and discharging into the space 20 between the sheath 13 and the non-working surface 12 of the pad 10 at an intermediate point.

Within the conduit 19 and between the inlet 21 and the outlet 22 thereof, I provide a deformable baffle 22 having a slit 24 which extends perpendicular to the plane of the working surface 11 of the relatively thin and flat pad 10. A pair of valve-operating arms 25 and 26 are molded to the exterior of the conduit 19 and extend along the sides 15 and 16 of the pad 10 from the .apex 17. Then by squeezing the ends of the arms 25 and 26 together, the slit 24 opens as shown in Figure 5; when the arms 25' and 26 are released to their normal position of Figure l, the slit 24 closes as shown in Figure 4.

A supply hose or tube 27 introduces the fluid to the washer via inlet 21 of conduit 19 and thus a continuous supply of clean Water and disinfectant such as a soap is controllably furnished to the pad 10. The sponge 10 is loaded with the clean fluid by compressing the ends of arms 25 and 26 and upon their release, the flow through slit 24 is stopped. As shown in the drawings, the conduit 19 enters the sponge surface 12 at an acute angle below the sheath 13 and such outlet constitutes .a free discharge orifice. To further distribute the fluid within the sponge washer pad 10, I may provide means for controlling the location of the discharge outlet 22. For example, the sheet 28 can be cemented over a portion of the outlet 22 to direct the flow into the base portion 14 of the pad 10. It is also contemplated that the discharge orifice of conduit 19 can be formed with a relatively constricted portion adjacent the baffle 22 and flared as it nears the base portion 14 of the pad. Similarly, the enclosed face 12 of the sponge 10 can be provided with a system of channels radiating from the apex 17 toward the base 14. Another means for controlling the distribution of fluid through the sponge pad is to have a less porous portion near the discharge outlet and a more porous portion near the base in region 14. Thus perforations can be formed in the pad to extend between the non-working face 12 to the workingsurface 11 of the pad 10. Also the sponge might be replaced in whole or in part by a nub'oed or nippled sheet with sli-t orifices in the nubs or nipples. Such construction would be useful where substantial abrasion is desired to remove caked or hardened deposits from the surface being cleaned. In general, however, I prefer the arrangement illustrated in the drawings including a porous pad and a free discharge orifice at an intermediate portion of the sponge 10 below the sheath 13.

To fabricate a device of the type illustrated, the sheath 13 and the flow control means 18 can be molded as a unit from rubber. The pad is separately molded or cut into shape and fixed, as by cementing, below or within the sheath 13. Although the sheath is shown as having wall portions 13a which terminate short of the Working surface 11 of the pad 10, it is contemplated that I may form the sheath 13 so as to also enclose the side edges 14, 15, and 16 and embrace a portion of the working surface 11, thereby serving to retain the pad within the sheath removably.

To manipulate the device, the pad is held in the palm of the hand with the apex 17 at the heel of the hand and with the arms and 26 between the thumb and fingers. When scrubbing pressure is applied to the pad 10 without compressing the arms toward the center of the pad, there is no flow of fluid into the sponge. However, by compressing or squeezing the pad 10 from edge to edge near the apex 17, the operating arms 25 and 26 are moved toward the longitudinal axis of the conduit 19 and the baffle 23 is deformed so that the slit 24 opens to admit fluid into the sponge pad. By squeezing the base portion 14 without compressing the arms 25-26, fluid can be expelled from the sponge and the dry sponge used for drying the cleansed surface. Subsequently the sponge can be rinsed by compressing the arms and thereby causing flow of fluid through the sponge.

Reverting to the valve structure, the webs and 31 link the segments of the baffle on either side of the slit 24 to the inner walls of the conduit 19 and cause the segments to part when the lever arms are operated. The webs 30-31 are relatively rigid and therefore serve to close the slit 24 when the arms are released. It will also be seen that in the operation of the valve, the arms 25 and 26 turn about a fulcrum point spaced from the baflie 23 with the result that a lever action is applied to the perimeter of the baffle 23 on opposite sides of the conduit 19 which is flexible and forms an elliptical cross-section as shown in Figure 5 when the slit 24 is opened. This deformation of the conduit 19, however, is local and does not interfere with the connection to the supply pipe 27.

As described above, the relatively dry sponge pad can be used to absorb moisture from the cleansed surface. However, if smooth plane surfaces are involved, I may use a unitary squeegee element carried by the base edge 14 and comprising a flexible serrated or laminar rib 33. To use this drying member, the sponge pad is turned over and the sheath faced toward the work piece.

Although I have described my invention with reference to specific embodiments thereof, it should be understood that this is by way of illustration only and that it is not intended to be limited thereby. Accordingly, it is contemplated that modifications and revisions can be made in the apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention described or the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A flow control assembly comprising a flexible conduit, a deformable bafile extending across the flow area of said conduit, said baflle comprising a pair of flat segments joined in a V-shaped array, a slit in said baflle at the junction of said segments, and lever means extending obliquely from said conduit in the region of the baffle, said lever means being connected to said flexible conduit to distort said baflle, decrease the length of said slit, and open said slit when moved toward the longitudinal axis of the conduit, thereby permitting the flow of fluid therethrough.

2. A fluid flow control means comprising a conduit having an inlet and an outlet, at flexible baflle means across the flow area of said conduit and disposed intermediate said inlet and outlet, said baflle comprising a pair of flat segments joined in a V-shaped array, a slit in said baffle, at the junction of said segments, and means exterior of and integral with said conduit adapted to distort said baflle by decreasing the length of said slit and thereby to open said slit and to permit the flow of fluid through said conduit.

3. A fluid control means comprising a generally tubular conduit of resilient material, a baflle extending across the flow area of said conduit, said baffle comprising a pair of flat segments joined in a V-shaped array, a slit in said baffle at the junction of said segments, said slit being normally closed, and a pair of resilient arms each integral with opposite segments of said baflle whereby compression of the arms toward the conduit opens the slit and permits flow of fluid therethrough.

4. In a fountain sponge, the improved flow control means for supplying fluid to said sponge which comprises a unitary molded assembly including a flexible sheath enclosing a portion of the exterior surface of the sponge, a flexible conduit communicating with said sponge below said sheath, a segmented baffle across the flow area of said conduit and fixed to the interior walls of said conduit, the segments of said baffle being in V-shaped array and normally cooperating to block the flow of fluid through the conduit, rigid webs extending between said segments and the Walls of said conduit and lever means exterior of the conduit and fixed thereto adjacent the said baffle, said lever means being adapted to separate the segments of the baflle to permit the flow of fluid through the conduit into the sponge.

5. A fountain sponge comprising a substantially flat sponge body of generally triangular shape, a fluid-impervious sheath enclosing one flat surface of the sponge body, a fluid inlet at the narrow end of said sponge body, a channel extending from said inlet to a remote point in said sponge body below said sheath, a bafile across the flow area of said fluid inlet, a separable slit in said baflle extending perpendicular to the plane of said sponge body, and a pair of operating arms integral with said baflle adapted to open said slit upon squeezing the arms toward each other.

6. A dairymans fountain udder washer comprising a sponge pad, a flexible and resilient fluid-impervious sheath on one surface of said sponge pad, a flexible fluid conduit communicating with said pad below the surface of said sheath, a valve means across the flow area of said conduit comprising a baflle and a self-closing slit in the baifle, said baffle comprising a pair of fiat segments joined in a V-shaped array, and lever means extending obliquely from said conduit along two edges of said pad and connected to said baflie to open said slit when the pad is squeezed.

7. A dairymans fountain udder washer comprising a sponge rubber pad of generally triangular shape and having a base edge and two side edges merging in an apex, an elastic fluid-impervious sheath on one flat surface of said pad, 21 fluid control means integral with said sheath comprising a flexible conduit entering the pad at the apex and discharging into an intermediate portion of said pad below said sheath, a segmental battle in said conduit near the apex of said pad, a slit in said baflle extending perpendicularly to the plane of the pad, and a pair of molded rubber lever arms extending along the side edges of the pad from the region of the apex and connected to the flexible conduit to open the said slit when the pad is squeezed in the hand thereby permitting a flow of fluid into the pad.

8. The fountain washer of claim 7 wherein the bafiie comprises two complementary segments integral with opposite portions of the inner walls of the flexible conduit and extending up-stream with respect to the flow of fluid through the conduit, the juxtaposed edges of said segments forming the said slit, whereby the pressure of the fluid behind the baffle acts to retain the slit closed and accidental opening thereof by the fluid stream is avoided.

9. A fountain sponge washer comprising a sponge pad of generally triangular shape and having a base edge and two side edges extending from the base to an apex, a flexible sheath cemented to one surface of said pad, 2.

fluid control means in the region of the apex of said pad comprising a flexible conduit discharging into the sponge pad below the sheath, a deformable bafile across the flow area of the conduit near the apex of the sponge pad, said deformable baffie comprising a pair of flat segments joined in a V-shaped array, a slit in said baffle extending perpendicular to the plane of said pad, and a pair of lever arms extending from the apex along the sides of the pad and connected to said conduit to open the said slit when the pad is squeezed.

10. The fountain sponge of claim 5 wherein the sheath includes a squeegee element along the base edge.

11. A fountain sponge washer comprising a triangular sponge pad, a flexible sheath on the upper surface of said pad, a valve means at the apex of said pad comprising a conduit discharging into the pad below the sheath, a deformable bafile across the flow area of the conduit at a point spaced inwardly from the apex of the pad, said deformable baffle comprising a pair of flat segments joined in a V-shaped array, an elongated opening in said bafile at the junction of said segments with each other, and a pair of lever arms connected to said bafile and extending from the apex toward the base of the triangular pad, said lever arms turning about a fulcrum located on said conduit downstream from said baffle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 215,549 Wheeler May 20, 1879 1,129,256 Watkins Feb. 23, 1915 1,565,179 Major Dec. 8, 1925 1,570,824 Clark Jan. 26, 1926 2,101,310 Callaghan Dec. 7, 1937 2,262,166 Cooley Nov. 11, 1941 

